Centralized Model of Human Milk Preparation and Storage in a State-of-the-Art Human Milk Lab

摘要

Strategies to ensure safe handling and administration of human milk for sick, hospitalized infants are necessary to avoid compromising the integrity of the milk and to prevent administration to the wrong patient. A centralized system of storing and preparing human milk in a milk lab that incorporates multiple verification points using a bar-coding system ensures that the right milk is prepared, delivered, and administered to the right patient, at the right time, and with the right additives. A team of skilled technicians dedicated to handling and preparing human milk, and a system of careful temperature control of refrigerators, freezers, water baths, and warmers, ensures the safety and quality of the milk. Nurses spend less time away from the bedside and more time in patient care when the milk is stored and prepared in a milk lab and delivered ready-to-feed to the bedside. Patient and staff satisfaction are high when a centralized system of storing and preparing human milk is implemented in the hospital setting.